Communications Manager – Berkshire Healthcare Charity

NHS; Bracknell; Hybrid; GBP 48,000 - 55,000; Part time

Job summary

An established industry player is seeking a Communications Manager to enhance its charitable profile and drive fundraising initiatives. This hybrid role involves collaborating with key stakeholders to develop strategic communications and marketing strategies, ensuring effective engagement with diverse audiences. The ideal candidate will have a proven track record in delivering successful campaigns, strong media relations skills, and the ability to create compelling content across platforms. Join a team committed to making a difference in the community and enjoy a supportive work environment that values flexibility and professional growth.

Benefits

Flexible working options

27 days annual leave

Learning and career development opportunities

'Cycle to Work' scheme

Access to wellbeing tools

Discounts at retailers and restaurants

Staff networks for diversity

Generous leave policies

Free parking

Qualifications

• Minimum 3 years experience in senior marketing/communications roles.
• CIPR/IOIC qualified with strong English skills.
• Experience in charity communications preferred.

Responsibilities

• Lead the charity's communications and engagement planning.
• Develop and deliver annual communications strategy.
• Generate multimedia content for various channels.

Skills

Marketing Strategy

Communications Planning

Digital Media

Content Creation

Relationship Management

Campaign Management

Media Relations

Project Management

Education

Degree in PR, Media or Marketing

Postgraduate in PR, Media or Marketing

Tools

CMS

Social Media Platforms

E-newsletter Systems

Job description

Communications Manager – Berkshire Healthcare Charity

This is a 3 day per week (0.6 WTE) role offered initially on a12-month, fixed term contract basis.

The Communications Manager will work closely with the Director ofMarketing & Communications, the Charity's Lead and Fundraising Manager to promote new partnerships and increase funding by developing the charity's profile, enhancing and building awareness and delivering key fundraising campaigns and initiatives.

You will be expected to show experience across the full range of marketing & communications activities including developing and delivering marketing/communications strategies, undertaking proactive media, generating engaging content for online and offline channels, and developing relationships/engaging with a diverse range of audiences and potential donors. An understanding and experience of using digital communications and developing digital platforms is also essential.

The successful applicant will ideally be CIPR/IOIC qualified with a minimum of 3 years' experience of working at senior/management level in a marketing/communications environment, ideally with some specific charity comms experience, and will have high standards of written and spoken English.

This is a hybrid role, with an expectation that you will work from our Bracknell Head Office or other sites across Berkshire asrequired (likely at least once a week).

Main duties of the job

Lead on the charity's communications and engagement planning, coordinating all activities, including website, press and social media

Develop and deliver an annual communications strategy that aligns with the charity's strategic objectives

Support the charity's engagement plans to attract, build and develop relations with individuals and corporate donors, raising awareness, keeping them updating with successes and identifying collaboration and fundraising opportunities

Deliver effective campaigns to ensure maximum success from fundraising initiatives, ensuring these are strategically aligned and delivered using recognised best practice methodologies

Identify stories to pitch to the media, draft press releases, briefings, statements and other messages for media and stakeholders, as part of a rolling programme of proactive media coverage

Generate high quality multimedia content for use over a range of channels

About us

Berkshire Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust is a specialist mental health and community health services trust. Rated 'outstanding' by the CQC, we're committed to providing the best possible care to people across Berkshire. As an employer, we're committed to offering an inclusive and compassionate environment where our people share in a sense of belonging and are supported to flourish.

Our values at Berkshire Healthcare are:

• Caring for and about you is our top priority
• Committed to providing good quality, safe services
• Working Together with you to develop innovative solutions

Your wellbeing is important to us. Some of the benefits of working for us include:

• Flexible working options to support work-life balance
• 27 days' annual leave rising with service + opportunity to buy and sell
• Excellent learning and career development opportunities
• 'Cycle to Work' and car leasing scheme including electric vehicles
• Access to a range of wellbeing tools and services
• Discounts at hundreds of popular retailers and restaurants
• Staff networks for race, diversity, disabilities, the environment and armed forces community to support equality
• Generous maternity, paternity, adoption and special leave
• Free parking across Trust sites

Job responsibilities

The must haves for this role:

Three years minimum experience working at a senior/management level in current marketing/communications roles

Significant experience of delivering effective marketing/fundraising campaigns (ideally for a charity)

Experience of developing relationships with journalists, and seeing in proactive stories to strengthen profile

Strong web/CMS ability with an excellent understanding of how to make best use of social and digital media to support projects and campaigns

Ability to influence, negotiate and network effectively with a wide range of audiences, establishing positive relationships which generate confidence and trust

Able to work independently, with the ability to prioritise an often demanding workload

For further information about the role, please see attached job description and person specification.

We strongly encourage you to explain how you meet the criteria in the person specification and write about this point-by-point in your supporting statement for the best chance of being shortlisted.

We're committed to equal opportunities and welcome applications from all sections of the community. Our commitment to inclusion is reflected in our accreditations: Race Equality Matters Silver Trailblazer, Neurodiversity in Business Corporate Member, Disability Confident Leader, Carer Confident Level 2, and the Armed Forces Covenant Gold Award. Reasonable adjustments will be provided to candidates as needed.

We welcome a conversation about flexibility and any other questions you may have. Please don't hesitate to email: Cathy Saunders at: [e-mail] (Director of Marketing & Communications) who'll be happy to help.

Please note, if we receive a high number of applications, we may close this role earlier than the advertised closing date, so please submit your application as soon as possible.

Person Specification

Education/Qualifications/Training

• Educated to degree level in a relevant subject, for example PR, Media or Marketing, or equivalent experience
• Educated to post graduate level in a relevant subject, for example PR, Media or Marketing, or equivalent experience

Continuous Professional Development

• Evidence of continuing personal and professional development within a Marketing/Communications environment

Previous Experience

• Three years' minimum experience working at a senior/management level in current marketing/communications roles
• Significant experience of developing and implementing successful internal/external strategic communications/engagement projects
• Significant experience of having effectively managed projects, campaigns and events within a marketing/communications environment
• Extensive experience using written, digital and verbal skills to present information in a variety of different formats/ styles at a senior level within a marketing/communications team environment
• Experience of developing relationships with journalists, and selling in proactive stories to strengthen reputation/profile
• An excellent understanding of how to make best use of social and digital media to support campaigns and projects
• Experience of working within brand guidelines, understanding importance and ensuring all output reflects correct brand
• Experience of using and developing various digital platforms, including CMS, social media and e-newsletter systems
• Experience of creating various multimedia content

Knowledge, Skills & Abilities

• Ability to influence, negotiate and network effectively with a wide range of audiences, establishing positive relationships which generate confidence and trust
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills proven within a marketing/communications environment
• Good time management skills and the ability to prioritise complex communications activities and campaigns, with the ability to plan and manage own time to meet tight deadlines and schedules.
• The ability to make sound judgements quickly in pressurised situations based on the information available within a marketing/communications environment
• Ability to undertake relevant research prior to planning communications campaigns and other projects and identify/use best practice.
• Confident to be the source of expert advice for senior managers on matters relating to communications including reputation management.
• Ability to work independently and lead on designated communications projects/programmes.

Additional Requirements

• Ability to travel throughout Berkshire and across the south of England as required
• High speed/fibre broadband at home
• Willingness to work outside of normal office hours when required

Disclosure and Barring Service Check

This post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act (Exceptions Order) 1975 and as such it will be necessary for a submission for Disclosure to be made to the Disclosure and Barring Service (formerly known as CRB) to check for any previous criminal convictions.

£48,270 to £54,931 a yearper annum, pro rata ( Incl of HCAS)